Gov. Kathy Hochul on Monday announced that New York state has endorsed the CDC’s recommendations regarding COVID-19 booster shots.
Four groups of New Yorkers are now eligible for COVID-19 booster doses, according to Hochul, whose statement is accessible on the governor’s website. Hochul said that New Yorkers who received the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine should receive their booster dose at least six months after their primary vaccine series if:
- they are age 65 and older or residents in long-term care settings; or
- they are age 50 to 64 with underlying medical conditions.
New Yorkers who received the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine may receive their COVID-19 booster dose at least six months after their primary vaccine series if:
- they are age 18 to 49 with underlying medical conditions, based on your individual benefits and risks; or
- they are age 18 to 64 and are at increased risk for COVID-19 exposure and transmission because of your occupational or institutional setting, based on your individual benefits and risks.
Individuals must have received the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for their initial vaccine series at least six months ago to be eligible. Individuals who received the Moderna or Janssen/Johnson & Johnson vaccine are not currently eligible for a booster dose at this time, but may be in the near future.
“As we’ve heard from our federal and state medical and health experts, as with many other vaccines, the protection from the COVID-19 vaccine can wane over time,” Hochul said. “A booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine will help particularly at-risk New Yorkers stay protected from the virus for longer.”
Additionally, a new state website provides information about booster doses, additional doses, eligibility, frequently asked questions and resources.